The present invention relates to an article for thickening body fluids or excreta such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, liners for diapers, panty liners and surgical blood absorbent articles, etc. More particularly the present invention relates to an article capable of thickening body fluids or excreta which shows high leakproofing effect against high viscous liquids such as soft feces or blood.
Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins comprises an absorbent member for absorbing waste which has particles of a superabsorbent polymer such as a crosslinked polyacrylic acid salt, dispersed in pulp fiber.
The superabsorbent polymer does not move in the absorbent member. It is not until liquid reaches the position where the polymer exists that the polymer absorbs the liquid and fixes it. Accordingly, when a high viscous liquid having a small rate of permeation and diffusion, such as soft feces or blood, is discharged, it is likely that not all the liquid can arrive at the position where the superabsorbent polymer is, or it takes time for all the liquid to reach the position and be absorbed and fixed thereby. Meanwhile a leak can result. It is a conceivable solution to dispose the superabsorbent polymer near the wearer facing surface of the absorbent article thereby reducing the time required for the liquid to reach. In this case, however, the superabsorbent polymer tends to cause a gel blocking phenomenon which interferes with absorption.
An absorbent article using a cross-linkable swellable polysaccharide as an absorbent in place of a superabsorbent polymer is proposed in WO 95/17147. In this absorbent article, the polysaccharide is used in the form of particles which are bound to the surface of a solid substance or incorporated into the substrate matrix so that it may absorb liquid even under pressure and exhibit improved liquid retentivity for an extended period of time. Similarly to the superabsorbent polymer, the bound or incorporated polysaccharide itself does not diffuse in liquid waste but waits for liquid to come. It does not display absorbing and fixing effects until liquid reaches. Therefore, the above-mentioned absorbent article does not have sufficient leakproofness against high viscous liquids similarly to the conventional ones using superabsorbent articles.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an article capable of thickening body fluids or excreta which is highly effective in preventing leaks particularly of a high viscous liquid, such as soft feces or blood.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article capable of thickening body fluids or excreta which is particularly useful as a disposable diaper or a liner for a diaper worn by newborn babies or infants who get rid of soft feces frequently, a sanitary napkin or a panty liner.
The inventors of the present invention have found that the above objects are accomplished by incorporating a specific polysaccharide in a specific state and utilizing the thickening effect of the polysaccharide.
The present invention has been completed based on the above finding. The present invention accomplishes the above objects by providing an article for thickening body fluids or excreta which contains a polysaccharide capable of thickening in the presence of a polyvalent metal ion, the polysaccharide being present in a state ready to dissolve or be dissociated in the moisture contained in body fluids or excreta.